A Country Romance
by The Thorned Rose
Summary: Sheriff Link, comes across a beautiful woman and her daughter stranded on the side of the road. He brings them to a small town called Ordon and she meets a very interesting family. While struggling to make ends meet, she slowly falls in love with Link but she harbors a dark secret. Can she protect her family and friends from the man she fears most. Zelink
1. Broken

Yay, another story I have to update (starts to cry realizing how many she is trying to juggle.) I don't own the legend of Zelda. Nor, do I own Sailor Moon or Yu-Gi-Oh. (I just borrowed two of the cutest little kid characters in the world. No, this is not really a crossover; I just don't want to make new characters.) Please read and review. Oh and for one of my favorite reviewers, don't worry no kids will die in this story.

"No, not here, anywhere but here," Zelda said as she exited her crummy old lemon of a vehicle. She lifted up the hood and smoke came up. She jumped back and started to cough. In her frustration, she kicked the wheel of the car and glanced at her daughter, Rini, in the back seat. She was sleeping peacefully, blissfully unaware that we were broken down in the middle of nowhere during the hottest month of the year. She knew she couldn't just leave her daughter in the hot car, so she opened the back door and pulled her daughter out of her seatbelt and into her arms.

About a mile down the road, she started feeling really weak from the extra physical exertion of carrying Rini. Sweat was literally dripping off of my head. She knew she had to stop soon, or she would pass out from the heat. Zelda was about to put Rini down, when I heard a car horn. She turned around, and to her horror there was a police officer. 'Just calm down Zelda,' She thought to myself, 'Maybe he doesn't know about what I have done, maybe he is here to help me.'

ZELDA'S POV

The car pulled to the side of the road and a handsome young officer stepped out. He had sandy brown hair and azure eyes. He eyed me up and down, 'probably wondering why I was wearing a turtle neck sweater in the middle of August. I stepped back nervously until he said, "Hey, I saw your car back there. Would you like a ride?"

I let out a breath of relief and said, "That would be wonderful, thank you."

I walked up to the car and noticed a small boy with black hair in the passenger's seat. "Hi, I am Mokuba." He said excitedly as I slid in the car.

Rini then woke up and asked, "Mommy, where are we?" She looked up and saw we were sitting in the back of a police car and screamed, "Oh no, are we in trouble mommy?"

The blonde haired man laughed as he stepped into the car and said, "No little missy, I am just giving your mom a lift to town. My name is Link, What's yours?"

I bit my lip not really wanting to answer, but Rini blurted out, "My name is Rini, and this is my mother, Z…"

"Hylia," I interrupted her, "My name is Hylia." (It wasn't a total lie, it was my middle name after all.) Link seemed to have sensed the lie but didn't say anything.

A few minutes later, Link asked, "So, Hylia where are you two from?"

"Around," I mumbled. I adjusted my sunglasses and fidgeted nervously.

His eyes narrowed at this and he continued, "Mokuba and I are from a small town called Ordon. There isn't much there, but it is comfortable and has many nice people. There is even a nice bed and breakfast if you need to stay there while your car is being repaired."

I nodded and played with a snag in my sweater that I have suddenly found interesting. Trying to steer the conversation away from me, I asked, "So is Mokuba your son?" He nodded and I said, "You and your wife must be very proud. He is such a sweet boy."

His face suddenly looked pained and his knuckles went white on the steering wheel. He then said, "My wife died 7 years ago."

'Crap,' I thought to myself. "I am so sorry, I didn't mean to bring up such an awful memory" I replied somberly.

He shook his head and answered, "Its fine, you didn't know. But you are right; Mokuba is my pride and joy."

I laughed as he ruffled the boy's hair getting an exasperated, "DAD!"

We finally passed a sign that read, 'Welcome to Ordon,' I was suddenly relieved I didn't have to walk this far. It was almost ten miles away from where my car was ditched.

We pulled up to a place called Telma's Diner it had a cute retro vibe to it. "There is a phone behind the counter that Telma will let you use to call a mechanic." He said as he and Mokuba got out of the car.

LINK'S POV

When I entered Telma's I ordered the kids some food, while Hylia went to use the phone. I finally had a chance to take a look at her. She was wearing big sunglasses so I couldn't really see her eyes. She also wore a white turtle neck sweater that looked two sizes too big and a long green skirt. When she finally finished on the phone she thanked Telma and went to pay for Rini's meal. Telma shook her head and replied, "Link has already paid for it. Put that money away." She nodded and walked over to the table.

"Thank you," she said, looking somewhat guilty.

I smiled and said, "It was a pleasure. I hope yall stick around for a while, Mokuba could use a friend like Rini. Would you like something to eat? I don't mind one bit."

She smiled back and replied, "No thank you (despite the fact she was starving). Could you show me where that bed and breakfast is now?"

I nodded and we headed out the diner. It was just down the road so we walked to it. It was a pleasant three story home with a fence area around it that closed in a barn and some animals.

ZELDA'S POV

Link opened the gate and let us in. There were goats everywhere. Two people were sitting on the porch of the B&B (bed & breakfast if you did not know) and waved.

Link greeted, "Hello Uncle Henry and Aunt Impa! How are you doing?"

The couple hugged their nephew and Miss Impa replied, "We are doing well thank you. Who is this lovely young lady you have brought to us?" Mokuba and Rini ran off to pet some horses.

Link smiled and said, "This is Hylia, her car broke down, and she needs a place to stay. Do yall have any rooms available?" They nodded and Link replied, "Great, I would love to stay, but I really need to get back to work now. My partner is going to kill me; I was only supposed to be on a coffee run." He tipped his hat and said, "ma'am."

I looked to the ground because I was blushing madly. Why did he have to be so good looking? Link ran to his car and I yelled, "Don't forget to get the coffee!"

I heard him mumble 'shit.' He then waved and said, "thanks."

When he left, I let out a breath that I did not know I was holding. I faced the elderly couple and they looked amused at something. I was too exhausted to care what. But then I remembered I didn't have much money.

I bit my lip in shame and said, "I don't have much money, is it possible for me to work for my staying here until I find a job?"

Miss Impa smiled and said, "Of course dear, we wouldn't put a woman and her child out on the street. Besides, we are growing much too old to handle this farm and Inn all by ourselves. There are plenty of ways for you to earn your keep."

I let out a sigh of relief and asked, "Where do I start?"

She chuckled and pulled me into the kitchen. She sat me down at the table and set a plate in front of me. She then said, "First thing child is you are going to eat. You look like you haven't eaten in days." 'That is because I haven't' I thought to myself. While running, I used all my money to make sure Rini was well fed. Without questioning it I ate hungrily. Impa sat with me and said, "Slow down child, you're going to choke."

I felt completely embarrassed; she must think I am a pig. I stopped eating and started to play with my food. To my surprise she put her hand on mine and whispered, " I didn't mean for you to stop eating. I can tell you come from a hard life, just slow down and don't be afraid to let someone help you."

Eventually I finished eating and asked, "Ok, now what is it that I can help you with?"

Mr. Henry walked in and said, "I think Impa would agree with me when I say you should get some rest for today and start work tomorrow. We will pay you a fare wage."

I shook my head and replied, "No, I can't accept your money while I am staying here."

"Nonsense child," Miss Impa replied, "You will be working hard, so we will compensate you. Don't worry about us. We make more than enough money from this Inn to compensate. Besides, we were looking for another employee."

Tears threatened to fall and I hugged them both, "Thank you! You don't know how much this means to me." I whispered. They looked at each other and laughed, Impa then said, "It would be nice to have some girls in the house for a change. Normally, all we get are stuffy old business men. Now let's go get you a room so you can get some rest. Work will start after breakfast tomorrow, when the rooster crows."

I gasped as I saw my room. It was small, but it had beautiful sky blue walls and sheer white curtains that blew in the wind since the window was open. Infront of the window sat a glass table with two chairs. The room also had one large bed in the middle of the room. A small bathroom and closet was to my right and a dresser sat across from the bed. I smiled and once again thanked Miss Impa.

She replied "Anytime dearie, I will send your daughter…"

"Rini," I answered.

She nodded and continued, "I will send your daughter Rini up here when Mokuba wears her out."

I laughed and replied, "I am not sure that is possible."

She smiled and said, "We shall see." She then shut the door.

I was about to crash on the bed when I heard a knock. I sat up and yelled, "Come in." The door opened revealing Link carrying two suitcases.

He sat the suitcases down and said, "When I passed your car earlier I saw these in the window. Since I now know that they belong to you, I figured I would pick them up for you."

I bit my lip shyly and mumbled a, 'thank you.' Once again he tipped his hat and exited my room. I watched out the window as he got into his car and drove away.


	2. Brother

I sighed, shut the window, and lowered the blinds behind the curtain. I then rummaged through the suitcases until I found my night clothes. I ran into the bathroom and closed the door so I could take a shower. I slowly undressed, and looked at the marks that littered my body. Blue, purple, black, yellow and brown bruises seemed to show more than my actual skin did. I let out a sigh and removed my sunglasses which concealed two very prominent black eyes. I stepped into the shower and cried as I let the water wash away my troubles. I cried until I exited the shower about 15 minutes later and got dressed in my night clothes. The minute my head hit the pillow I was out like a light.

NIGHTMARE

_**I was watching TV with Rini, when I heard my husband coming in really drunk. "Go to your room," I whispered to Rini so she wouldn't get hurt if he decided to act crazy tonight. **_

_**She got up and started to sneak to her room when a large hand caught a hold of her. "Ganondorf," I yelled, "Let her go!" He chuckled evilly, "Why should I? Why can't I hug my daughter?" He asked as he started to squeeze her neck. Quickly, I grabbed a frying pan from the kitchen and cracked it on the back of his head. Ganondorf made an odd face as he dropped Rini and he fell to the floor unconscious. I grabbed Rini's arm and pulled her upstairs. I told her, "Pack your things, we are leaving tonight." I grabbed my clothes from my room and shoved it in a suitcase. I then grabbed the divorce paper I had tricked the idiot into signing while he was drunk last week and carried it with me. When we were both finished packing, I grabbed my car keys and sped away from my home as fast as I could.**_

I sat up breathing heavily, I looked around and realized I was safe in the Inn and Rini was asleep beside me. I pulled her into a hug fearfully and eventually went back to sleep.

LINK'S POV

I got home from work later than usual. I was busy trying to sort through piles and piles of paper work. Who would have guessed that such a small town would have so much many parking violations? As I open the door to the Inn, I notice Aunt Impa and Uncle Henry having a conversation. "Good evening," I greeted as I hung my work hat by the door.

Aunt Impa smiled and replied, "Good Evening Link. How was work?"

"Fine thank you, Where are Hylia and the kids?" I asked. It was unusual for the Inn to be so quiet.

Henry laughed and said, "Oh they have already retired for the evening. I didn't believe it was possible, but Rini wore Mokuba out."

"No way," I said as I sat in a chair by the kitchen table, "Is that even possible?"

Impa nodded and said, "Apparently so, I didn't even know he had an off switch."

We all laughed and I asked, "So how is Hylia settling in?"

Impa's smile suddenly faded and she brought her voice down to a whisper, "She is a very sweet child, but I can tell she had a hard life. I offered her some food this morning and she looked like she hadn't eaten in days. Also, when I was walking down the hallway, I heard her crying softly in the shower. On the plus side, we finally found a new employee for around here."

I nodded and silently wondered, 'what her life was like before she came here. Would she stay?'

Cockadoodle doodle doooo

I jumped out of bed ready to attack. Realizing I had just gotten scared by a cuckoo, I smacked my hand against my forehead. As I got dressed, I instructed Rini to get her home schooling books together. When I was fully dressed in a blue turtle neck sweater and a pair of jeans, I put on my sunglasses and ran downstairs to assist with making breakfast.

"Good morning dearie," Impa greeted as I came down the stairs, "Could you go gather the cuckoo eggs from the coop?" I nodded and ran upstairs to grab my boots. When I came back down, I hurried to the coop. It was a much larger coop than I had anticipated. I started to gather the eggs from the lower shelves and placed them in the basket first. Getting the eggs from underneath the bad tempered birds was the first of many challenges. The stupid cuckoos started to attack me. I stepped out for a minute till they settled down, then went back in to find they were all back in their nest.

I then had an idea, if the cuckoos were so hell bent on trying to attack me, let them. That way, while they are out of their nests I could grab the eggs. While I was fighting off the cuckoos, I realized all the eggs were not where I could reach them. I pulled a stepping stool up while flinging off birds left and right to collect the eggs on the top shelf. When I had finally collected all the eggs I walked into the door, looking like an incredible mess. I had feathers all over my clothes and hair. I blew a piece of hair out of my face and sat the basket of eggs on the counter. Impa and Henry looked at me crazily and I asked, "Ok, what's next."

At that moment, Link had walked in the front door to pick up coffee for him and his partner. I turned around at the sound of the door opening and his eyes got wide. Suddenly he burst into tears laughing. He turned to his Aunt and asked, "Cuckoos, on the first day? Really?" He then walked over to the coffee pot still laughing and poured two cups. I looked down at my feet embarrassedly. As he was walking out the door he lifted my face and said, "Chin up, it is quite an accomplishment that you managed to collect the eggs from those crazy birds. I still have trouble to this day." He let my face go and I was still blushing madly.

As he was going out the door, I stopped him, "Oh Link, are you going to the court house today by any chance?" He nodded. I pulled out a brown envelope that contained my divorce papers and asked, "Would you mind delivering this to Judge Midna for me?"

He took the packet and said, "It would be my pleasure." He grabbed his work hat off the coat rack and headed out the door. I let out a sigh, goddess he is handsome. Impa cleared her throat which pulled me out of my thoughts. I then started to make scrambled eggs for the household and guest.

LINK'S POV

That envelope…I sware it is staring at me. It is begging, 'Oh please Link open me! You know you want to!' As badly as I wanted to, it ould be an invasion of her privacy. 'open! Open! OPEN!' it taunted until I finally pulled over and looked. I pulled the papers out the brown envelope and saw that they were divorce papers. I read it and discovered her real name was Zelda Hylia Knight. She was married to someone named Ganondorf Knight. I wrinkled my brows in thought, that name seemed so familiar. I would need to look it up at police headquarters later. She somehow managed to get her husband to sign over full custody of Rini. According to the papers, she was divorcing him because he was abusive and an alcoholic. I shoved the papers back into the envelope, feeling like a complete ass for invading her privacy and drove it to Judge Midna's office.

ZELDA'S POV

After I had finished the dishes, I sat at the table and filled out some paperwork that would allow Rini to go to school out here. Rini was filling out a test to determine her grade level. She is supposed to be in 1st grade, but a small part of me hoped that she would be bumped up a grade so she could have classes with Mokuba. When both the test and the paperwork was finished, I put it aside so I could bring it in tomorrow and get Rini officially enrolled.

Henry then brought me outside to meet an erratic horse named Epona. He said, "This is Link's horse name Epona. I am sure he won't mind you using her. I want you to bring that paperwork to the school today, now get up on Epona and get out of here."

My face paled, I didn't know how to ride a horse. Before I could refuse, he threw my body up on the horse and smacked her on the ass. Epona took off. I grabbed the reins quickly, so I wouldn't fall off.

Epona ran wildly down the road I was barely able to keep balanced. I passed every store in town just about screaming my head off. People looked at me like I was a mad woman. I saw Link in the corner of my eye, and saw that he was running towards us. He sped up to an almost inhuman speed and caught the reins. I heard him yell, "Woah!" and Epona came to a stop.

He pulled my shaking body off Epona and I screamed, "I am going to kill him!" I was furious and I didn't really care who was watching.

"Kill who?" he asked, not even bothering to ask why I was on his horse.

"Henry," I answered, "I haven't ridden a horse in my life and he throws me on one and sends her at full speed to I don't know where. Even if I could ride her, I don't even know where the school is. For goddess sake, I am from New York, not the wild west."

To this he tried, and failed miserably to suppress laughter. He then got up on Epona and extended his hand out to me, "Come on, I will give you a ride."

I looked at him as if to ask him, 'are you crazy?' When I realized he was serious, I sarcastically said, "No thanks, I wouldn't want to damage the upholstery."

At that moment, I turned around and crashed into something that knocked me to the ground. I looked up to find a huge man with a pompadour. He looked shocked and said, "I'm s-sorry Ma'am. M-My n-name is Groose. Whats-s you name?"

I smiled as he helped me up and said, "Hi, my name is Zel…Hylia, it is a pleasure to meet you." 'That was close,' I thought to myself.

Link dismounted the horse and said, "Oh Hylia this is my partner. He is the one who is the coffee addict."

Groose shot link an irritated look and said, "Hey, at least I am not a workaholic!"

Link rolled his eyes and said, "Alright, you got me there. Anyway, Hylia needs a ride to the school. Do you think you could hold up the fort while I am gone?"

Groose held his stomach as he leaned back with laughter, "Of course Link, the most dangerous thing that has been in this town in the past 3 years is your brother."

Link frowned and pulled me on the back of the horse. I squirmed to get out of his grasp, but before I could get away, he clicked his tongue and Epona started to move. I quickly wrapped my arms around his stomach and held on for dear life. To my surprise he chuckled at my reaction and said, "Your safe Hylia, don't worry I won't let you fall."

I gave in and I remember Groose mentioned something, "Link, how come you didn't tell me you had a brother."

Link seemed to flinch and replied, "My brother, Dark, is really not worth mentioning. We are twins but we are nothing alike. He has been nothing but a troublemaker since we were kids."

Feeling slightly uncomfortable with where the conversation had brought us, I stupidly answered, "Oh…" I did not know what else to say.

After we delivered the package, we went home and there was a man with black hair standing outside waiting for us. I felt Link tense under my arms. I looked at this man closely; he had an evil aura around him. His eyes were blood red. His skin was grey like a corpse. Link showed a side of himself I had never seen, anger and hatred. Link abruptly stopped the horse and asked, "Dark, what are you doing here?"

Link helped me off of the horse and held me behind him. My eyes lit up in realization, this was his brother. Impossible, I can sense nothing but darkness coming from him.

Dark smiled wickedly and replied, "I heard there was a gorgeous new filly in town," He looked me up and down and continued, "I certainly wasn't let down. What is your name dear?"

Link's grip on me got slightly tighter and he yelled, "None of your damn business, now get out of here before I drag your ass back into jail, where you belong."

Dark smirked and said, "Oh how nice, you have already developed feelings for her. Well don't worry, when I am done with her she won't want anything to do with you ever again."

I trembled in fear; this man was just like my ex-husband. My legs gave out on me; Link caught me before I hit the ground and carried me past Dark. Dark laughed mockingly and said, "You won't always be here to protect her." Dark then walked back towards the center of town.


	3. Pancakes!

I also don't own mickey mouse. Oh and thank you WolfenAmphithere for the review!

LINK'S POV

When I sat her on the couch she was hyperventilating really badly. I held her wrist so she wouldn't hurt herself and looked into her eyes. Pure fear showed in her eyes. She was shaking violently and seemed to be no longer aware of what was going on around her. "Ganondorf, let me go!" She yelled.

I shook her hoping that she would wake up from her trance. "Please don't hurt me," she screamed as she struggled to get out of my arms.

Impa and Henry ran into the room and saw me holding her down. "What's going on?" they asked.

I yelled back to them, "Hylia met Dark, and it seems to have triggered a panic attack."

Without warning, her body stopped fighting and her eyes rolled into the back of her head. I checked her pulse which was racing and determined she had fainted. I heard Impa gasp and scream, "Bring her upstairs."

I carried her up to my room and sat her on the bed. I had some smelling salt in my medicine cabinet. I quickly pulled it out and ran it past her nose. She jumped up instantly, and looked around frantically. When she saw it was just me, she slumped back and asked, "What happened?"

I noticed some sweat on her forehead and wiped it away with a handkerchief I kept in my pocket. I whispered, "You had a panic attack." She flushed nervously and I said, "It is nothing to be embarrassed about, but I would like to know what it is that you're afraid of." I already knew the answer from reading her divorce papers, but I wanted her to tell me in her own time. She looked towards a picture I had on the wall of Mokuba and me. A tear fell down her cheek and she said, "I am sorry, I can't; not yet."

I nodded understanding and kissed her forehead. She blushed and I told her, "I am here whenever you are ready to talk. Stay here until I come home tonight. You are likely weak from your fainting spell." I hurried back to work, knowing that Groose was going to kill me for taking so long.

ZELDA'S POV

Despite what Link told me, I couldn't rest. Resting equaled nightmares and nightmares equaled pain. I got up and started to make myself busy with odd jobs like washing guests' sheets and restocking their towels and shampoo. Impa watched me curiously. I was positive she knew I was trying to distract myself from my past.

A few hours later, I received a phone call from the school. The principal was on the phone saying, "Good evening Ms. Knight. We have reviewed your daughters entry exam and have determined that she should be bumped up to the second grade. Congratulations!"

I was so excited that I forgot she was on the line and hung up the phone. I jumped up excitedly, Rini would be in the same grade as Mokuba. Link walked in the door at this moment, with Mokuba trailing behind him. Mokuba threw his book sack on the floor and ran outside to find Rini.

LINK'S POV

I looked at her slightly amused and asked, "What's got you so giddy Hylia? Did you run over a small cuckoo or something?"

She shot me a glare and said, "No, but Rini managed to get bumped up to second grade!"

I beamed, finally Mokuba would have a friend in his grade. "Fantastic," I replied, "We must celebrate! Does she have a favorite food? We could make it for dinner."

She smiled back and answered, "I am already on it; I hope you like pancakes." She then said, I will be right back, I need to grab my apron from upstairs."

She ran upstairs and I started to grab a box of pancake mix from the pantry. I heard a scream and dropped the box on the floor. I ran upstairs and pulled my gun off the holster on my uniform. I kicked the door open and pointed my gun into the room. She put her hands up in the air. Looking around the room and seeing no danger I lowered my gun. "What's wrong?" I asked her.

She scrambled behind me and pointed to the wall. I saw something tiny move. My eye twitched in irritation when I saw what caused her to scream. It was a small roach (no bigger than a quarter) that was on the wall. I put my gun back in the holster and grabbed a shoe to crush the bug.

I turned back around and scolded her, "From the way you screamed, I thought you were getting killed!"

She put her hands on her hips and replied, "Did you not see that thing? It was as big as a cat! It would have eaten me!"

Once again, I found myself entertained by her quirkiness. I threw her the apron that she had come for and we exited her room.

When we got to the kitchen, I washed my hands and watched as she picked up the box of pancake batter up off the ground and whispered, "Well this won't do."

She then swept up the pancake mix off the ground and threw it away.

I watched her grab some flour, sugar, milk, and other supplies and she walked me through how to make pancakes from scratch.

"Link could you crack an egg in a bowl for me please," she asked as she started to slowly whisk in different ingredients. I did and she poured some blueberries in the batch.

ZELDA'S POV

Surprisingly, Link was pretty helpful in the kitchen. When I was married to Ganondorf he never helped me around the house. I felt more like a slave to him than a wife. I was stirring in the blueberries when I had a marvelous idea. I turned to Link and asked, "Link do you want to taste?" as I took the wooden spoon and pressed it on his face. The spoon stuck to his nose before it fell to the floor. Link stood there in shock as I was laughing so hard tears were starting to surface. Suddenly he chased after me. I sat the bowl on the table and ran out the front door. He was in hot pursuit.

I hid behind the rocking chair Impa was sitting in on the porch, thinking I had gotten away without being seen. To my surprise, two strong arms wrapped around my waist; I looked up at Link who had a mischievous smirk on his face. He threw me over his shoulder and carried me into the kitchen.

He picked up the spoon that had once adorned his nose and smeared it across my face. Thankfully, my sunglasses stayed on. At this point Impa, Henry, and the kids came in to see what the commotion was about. They found us both sitting on the floor, covered in pancake batter. We were laughing hysterically and were soon joined by the laughter of the rest of the family. Some of the guest even came downstairs to see what was so funny. We received several odd looks from the guest until Impa interrupted, "Alright you two. Finish cooking and go get cleaned up. Didn't you learn not to play with food?" She scolded playfully.

I wiped my face off with a towel and handed it to Link to do the same. He had so much batter on his face, that he had to go wash it off in the bathroom. I turned to the stove and sprayed the pan. Rini's eyes lit up and she asked, "Are you making what I think your making?"

"Yes," I replied as I poured two small circles and one large circle of pancake batter in the pan.

Rini screamed, "Hooray, Mickey Mouse pancakes!"

"Mickey Mouse pancakes?" Mokuba asked.

Rini nodded and said, "Yeah they are shaped like Mickey's head!

Link walked in with a now clean face and said, "Oh that's cool. How about we make a face with whipped cream?" He asked as he pulled a can of Reddi Whip out of the refrigerator.

He swirled the can of whipped cream in his mouth and then sprayed me in the face with it. I smirked and said, "Now if you act like that, I won't shape yours like Mickey."

He laughed and replied, "But you have to, how else will I be able to draw a face?" I rolled my eyes and handed him a plate now stacked full of Mickey Mouse Pancakes. He sat it in the middle of the table and everyone dug in. I had to laugh because Link looked like he enjoyed the pancakes more than the kids. He drew a face on his, while the kids just smothered them in syrup. Even some of the guest enjoyed the meal. I thought to myself, 'breakfast at dinner… I need to do this more often."


	4. Malon's Story

Authors Note: If Link says Zelda and it is not in a conversation with her. That is because he knows her real name. He will not say it when in a conversation.

LINK's POV

After eating our pancakes, Zelda went upstairs to take a shower. Between the whipped cream and pancake batter, she was a complete mess. I smiled, that was the most fun I've had since before Malon died. I calmed my breathing at the horrible memory and went to lie down on the couch. Shortly after, Zelda came down and called Rini and Mokuba. She sat them down to work on Mokuba's homework. Although, Rini technically would start school tomorrow, she wanted her to know what was going on in the class.

Soon after they started, I drifted off into a deep slumber.

_**DREAM**_

_**I looked down at my son Mokuba who was lying in the crib. He was so small looking. His hand could literally wrap around my finger. I adored him more than anything in the world. I heard a knock at the door; it was my beautiful wife Malon. I smiled at her and kissed her on the lips. Something appeared to be bothering her. I asked her what it was, but instead of telling me she shooed me off to work.**_

_**Several hours later, I came home with a spring in my step. I couldn't wait to see my family again. Outside the door, I heard Mokuba crying. Instinctively, I went up to his room to see what was bothering him. He had messed all over himself and it looked like no one had changed him in hours. I growled at the thought. Malon and I were definitely going to have a discussion. After I cleaned him and gave him a fresh diaper, he was still crying. 'Was he sick?' I wondered. Nah he is likely just hungry. "Malon!" I yelled out. "Malon!" I repeated, but still no answer. I questioned myself, 'Surely she wouldn't leave the baby home alone.' **_

_**I carried Mokuba in the kitchen and sat him in his highchair while I fixed a bottle of formula. After feeding him, he looked sleepy so I brought him back to his crib. Feeling unnerved by Malon's sudden disappearance I decided to call her cell phone. She never left home without it. **_

_**Ring**_

_**Ring**_

_**Ring**_

_**I followed the noise and found my beloved on the floor of the laundry room with a bottle of whiskey. "MALON!" I screamed. I checked her pulse; it was there, but it was faint. I quickly called for an ambulance, but by the time they got there, she was already gone.**_

I shot up and found Zelda in front of me. She was trying to wake me from my dream. I quickly sat up and ran upstairs. I needed to be alone, so I climbed out my window and sat on the roof.

ZELDA'S POV

I sat at the kitchen table, studying with the kids. While rini was reading a passage out of Mokuba's literature book I looked up and saw Link sleeping on the couch. He looked distressed, his face was scrunched up and he was mumbling in his sleep. I got up from the table, making Rini and Mokuba look at me questioningly, and wondered beside the couch. His cries gradually got louder until I heard loud and clear him shout "Malon!" I shook him knowing exactly what it was like to have night terrors. His eyes shot open and he ran away from me.

I sat there in shock and Mokuba said, "He is on the roof, just step outside his window." I nodded and headed upstairs towards his room. I had been in there once before when I was having a panic attack so I didn't really look around much. There were pictures of Mokuba everywhere. I saw one picture of a redheaded woman in a hospital bed holding a newborn boy with black hair. 'That must be his deceased wife,' I thought to myself.

I went to the open window and climbed onto the roof. Sure enough, Link was sitting there. I was mesmerized by his gorgeous blonde hair that was blowing carelessly in the wind. I walked carefully over to him and sat by his side. We sat there in silence for a few minutes, mainly because I wasn't sure what to say. Finally I said, "You know, I am here if you need to talk."

He smiled weakly and said, "Malon was my wife." I shot him a look that clearly said, 'go on.' He nodded and said, "She died shortly after Mokuba was born of alcohol poisoning." I closed my eyes thoughtfully, the word 'alcohol' was not a pleasant word of me. He then continued and said, "8 years ago, Malon's parents came to me and asked me to propose to Malon. She was my best friend since childhood and I really didn't want to dishonor them by refusing, so I asked her to marry me. Although I was never 'in love' with her, I did love her. Unfortunately, after we were wed I discovered she had a dark secret. She was an alcoholic. I tried to get her to quit, but no matter what I did she found a way to sneak it in the house." He then started to laugh, "There was one time, I reached for a bottle of water in the fridge. I choked on it and discovered that was where she was hiding vodka." I smiled weakly, Ganondorf did many of the same things so I understood a lot of what he was telling me. "She eventually became pregnant with Mokuba and finally quit; I was so proud of her. Shortly after Mokuba was born, I came home from work and found her on the floor with about 5 empty bottles of vodka. Soon after she was gone," He finished.

I wrapped my arms around his waist and he leaned his head on my shoulder. I felt my shoulder become slightly damp but I didn't mind. It was good that he was finally releasing all this pent up emotion. I felt compelled to share at least PART of my story so he would know that I did have some understanding.

"It's ironic." I said simply.

"What is?" He asked.

I replied, "You loved your wife very much and ended up losing her to alcohol poisoning. But, I hated my husband to the point that there were days I prayed he would die of alcohol poisoning."

He looked at me as if I grew a second head and asked, "How can you say that? I understand if you didn't love your husband, but you hated him so much that you prayed for his death."

A tear rolled down my eye and I whispered, "Yes." I wanted to tell him more, but from this reaction I knew he wouldn't understand. I got up and said, "I think I will go help Impa cook dinner."

Before I could leave he caught my wrist. I turned to face him and he said, "I am sorry Hylia, I don't really know what happened between you and your husband so I shouldn't be so judgmental."

I nodded and said, "Thank you."

I climbed in the window and went into the kitchen.


	5. No Cuckoo for you!

Authors Note: If Link says Zelda and it is not in a conversation with her. That is because he knows her real name. He will not say it when in a conversation.

I don't own the Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles

LINK'S POV

After Dinner, I sat at the table reading the newspaper with Impa and Henry. Zelda had decided to retire early. While at the table Impa stated, "Oh Link, Did you know that Mokuba's Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles movie was coming out in theatres next week?"

"Really," I stated, completely uninterested.

"Yes, and you know that Mokuba will drag you there one way or another. You might as well make it into a date." Impa said encouragingly.

I sat down my paper and asked, "What are you rattling on about Impa?"

She replied, "I am saying, you should ask Hylia to come with you. I am sure Rini would like to see it too. After all, neither one of them miss an episode on TV."

I took a sip from my cup of decaf and asked, "What makes you think she would be interested in dating me? Besides, I am not ready to start dating again."

"Not ready," Henry said louder than necessary, "Link, it has been 7 years since her death. Malon would want you to be happy."

I slammed my coffee cup on the table and replied, "I am happy! I have Mokuba, and that is all I will ever need."

I got up from the table and went straight to bed, little did I know that 4 little ears were listening to conversation the whole time.

MOKUBA's POV

We snuck out from our hiding spot underneath the table cloth after Dad had left. Impa and Henry were stayed, but they didn't seem to notice us escape from beneath the table. We snuck in the hall way and I asked "Rini, how would you feel about my dad dating your mom?"

She shrugged and said, "I guess I wouldn't mind. My real dad was mean to mommy and I don't think your dad would do that to her."

"Then we need get them to go on a date together. I have a plan…"

THE NEXT DAY  
MOKUBA'S POV CONTINUED

The next day Dad, Hylia, and Rini were waiting at the bus stop and I put my plan in motion. I turned to Rini and said, "Rini, did you hear about the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie?"

Rini shook her head and replied, "Oh no, I haven't. Is it any good?"

I answered, "I haven't seen it, but I heard it is awesome. We should go see it!"

I then turned to my dad and gave him the biggest puppy dog eyes I could muster and begged, "Daddy, would you please take us?!"

He hesitated but gave in, "Ok, Mokie we can all go."

"Hylia too?" I asked. I knew he would agree because he wouldn't want to be rude to her.

Dad scratched his head nervously and said, "I don't see why not."

Hylia blushed and we suddenly saw the bus coming down the road. When the bus stopped Rini and I sat in the front seat. I gave her a high five, our Mission was complete.

LINK'S POV

I waved as the bus left. Why did I get the feeling that I have just been duped?

ZELDA'S POV

I walked back to the inn and Link headed to work. I saw Impa sitting on the porch. She had a wide, almost mischievous grin. I looked at her suspiciously and she said, "Hylia, we are going to be making fried cuckoo for dinner and I need you to get all the ingredients together for me."

I smiled and replied, "Oh that will be fine, I will gather them for you. Besides we need to let the cuckoo thaw right?"

"What was that dearie?" she asked.

I shook my head, she must not be wearing her hearing aide. "Nothing Impa, I will take care of it."

I walked inside and looked into the freezer. I moved things around and saw no frozen cuckoo anywhere. I turned to Impa and said, "Impa, I am afraid we don't have any frozen cuckoo, we will have to cook something else for dinner."

She looked up at me and replied, "Oh no dearie, we have more than enough "fresh," cuckoo." I looked at her in shock, did she just say what I think she did?

"Oh Impa," I started, "I can't kill a cuckoo. I can't even squash a roach."

She handed me a large kitchen knife and said, "You can and you will. Besides, it is Link's favorite dinner. You wouldn't want to disappoint him would you." I looked down at my feet and watched as they carried me to the cuckoo coop.

I sat the knife on a shelf in there and went to grab a cuckoo. Of course it tried to fly off. I ran around the coop trying to catch any cuckoo. It was impossible. Feathers were flying everywhere. By the time I finally got a cuckoo for dinner, the cuckoo coop looked like there was a massacre in there. I cried on the way back to the Inn for the cuckoo. I felt like a murderer. When I finally made it in the kitchen with the decapitated bird, I sat it on the table crying and asking, "What do I do now?" She looked up at me appearing slightly guilty and said, "I am going to pluck and gut the bird. I will tell you what to do after that. Go clean yourself up dear." I nodded and went upstairs to compose myself.

About 10 minutes later, I came back town and Impa had the bird prepared to cook. Impa had me heat up the Crisco and while that was slowly heating I breaded the pieces of cuckoo. I plopped them into the pot one by one until they were a crispy dark brown. When they were finished cooking in the grease, I pulled each piece out with a pair of tongs and sat them on a stack of paper towels to drain the grease. By the time all the cuckoo was cooked, it was late in the afternoon and I placed the plate in the middle of the set table for when Link came home.

I still felt incredibly guilty, so I decided to go read a book under the weeping willow tree, to get my mind off of it. I could see Mokuba and Rini getting off the bus from there. They seemed to have smelled the cuckoo all the way from there, because instead of running off to play they ran straight inside. A few minutes later, I saw Link pull up in his police car. He didn't seem to see me and headed into the cuckoo coup.

HENRY'S POV

I saw Link head towards the cuckoo coup. I smiled and knew he was trying to collect the eggs so Hylia wouldn't have to in the morning. I followed him and met up with him just in time to hear him say, "What the Hell?"

I laughed and said, "Impa had Hylia cook fried cuckoo."

Link asked, "Why didn't she just use the frozen cuckoo in the barn freezer?"

I smirked and replied, "Impa didn't tell her about that freezer."

Link ran back to the Inn looking slightly irritated.

LINK's POV

I slammed the front door of the Inn. "IMPA," I screamed.

Impa poked her head in and said, "Oh Link, I am glad you are here. Hylia made some fried cuckoo, just for you!"

I snapped at her, "Cut the crap Impa, why did you tell that poor girl to go kill a cuckoo when we had perfectly fine cuckoo in the barn freezer?"

Impa laughed and said, "I was bored, besides someone needs to toughen up that girl. And keep it down, before you hurt her feelings, thinking you don't like it.

As if on cue, Zelda walked in and said, "Good Afternoon Link. Have you tried the cuckoo yet?"

I threw a fake smile since I was still very pissed at Impa, "No not yet Hylia, I will soon though. It smells delicious.

She beamed and said, "Very well, tell me how you like it."

She then made her way into the kitchen to check on the kids. While she was in there I turned back to Impa and said, "What you did was real low Impa. Hylia is probably so traumatized; I bet she won't even eat the cuckoo."

With that I put on another fake smile and made my way into the kitchen. Impa followed me and I fixed myself a plate. I looked at the table to see the kids eating like there was no tomorrow. I hoped it was a good as it smelled. I then sat next to Zelda who was playing with her fork in a plate of salad. Despite knowing why she was not eating the cuckoo, I wanted Impa to know what she did was wrong. I asked, "Hylia, why are you not eating any of the cuckoo you cooked?" I took a bite and added, "It's delicious!" Which by the way it truly was absolutely fantastic!

She smiled and said, "Thank you Link, I am glad to see you are enjoying it. However, I don't think I will be eating cuckoo for a long time now."

Impa started to chuckle and I kicked her foot under the table.


	6. Uncovered

Authors Note: If Link says Zelda and it is not in a conversation with her. That is because he knows her real name. He will not say it when in a conversation. I also don't own Mc Donalds or Happy Meals.

That night Zelda showered and changed into her favorite pair of pajamas; a pair of Hello Kitty shorts and a matching tank top. She threw her hair up in a ponytail. She looked at herself in the mirror and saw the many faded bruises that covered her body. Despite having the bruises she smiled because she had felt that she had become a stronger person. For the first time she felt like she could stand up for herself even if it was against her ex-husband.

She then crawled into the bed and spent the night dreaming about a new man…someone we know as Link.

THE NEXT MORNING

ZELDA'S POV

I woke up later than I usually would this morning. I was so frazzled, that I completely forgot that I was in my night clothes. I ran downstairs as fast as I could to see if Impa needed help with breakfast. I skidded to a halt everyone in the kitchen turned around and looked in my direction with big eyes. I turned my head to see if anyone was behind me…nope. Feeling very confused I asked, "What are yall looking at?"

LINK'S POV

"Get up daddy, Get up!" Mokuba shrilled.  
Mokuba woke me up extra early this morning because it was the day we were all going to see that  
uhh….Juvenile Mutant Kungfu Turtle Movie thing. I went downstairs and realized that everyone was still asleep. Since they were, I decided to surprise Zelda by cooking breakfast for everyone. Eventually, the rest of the family and guest came down one by one. But Zelda was still missing. I was about to go check on her when I heard someone racing down the stairs screaming, "Sorry I'm late!"

When she got to the bottom of the staircase I couldn't help but stare. It's not that she was in short shorts, (Not that that exactly helped the matter. Goddess she had gorgeous legs.) but she was covered from head to toe with bruises. She had two fading black eyes that were usually hidden behind sunglasses.

I could sense her discomfort at the room staring at her. She looked behind her and finally asked, "What are yall looking at?"

Suddenly realization hit her like a brick wall. She ran back up the stairs, and I followed her. She went to shut the door but I put my foot in the door way to stop it. I was going to get the full story of her past NOW!

"Zelda, what happened to you?" I asked fearfully. She backed away from me and begged, "Please don't hurt me." She bumped into the nightstand and knocked over a glass lamp, which she cut her hand on. I knelt by her and said, "Hey, Zelda calm down. It is just me."

She trembled and asked, "H-how do y-you know my name?" I realized what I called her and blushed. I embarrassingly said, "I kinda read it on the divorce papers. Now let me fix your hand."

She pulled her hand away and screamed "No, I can do it myself. How could you Link, that was private?"

She then stood up and closed herself in the bathroom. I heard her sobbing on the other side of the door. I sat with my back to the door listening to her cry. I felt awful for betraying her trust. Something told me we wouldn't make it to the movies today. Without much left I could do, I got up and went downstairs to tell the kids the news.

They were watching Saturday morning cartoons. I cleared my throat to get their attention and said, "Hey you guys, Hylia is not feeling well. We are going to have to do a rain check on the movie for today." Surprisingly, they both turned their head back to the TV like nothing had happened.

I was about to go back upstairs to beg her forgiveness, when I saw her come downstairs, fully covered. She said, "Let's get this over with and walked to the car. I told the kids to go get dressed, so I could talk to her.

I met her outside and said, "Look Zelda, I am really sorry. I know what I did was wrong. I was just so curious about you when we met." My hand seemed to have a mind of its own when it grasped Zelda's hand, "I do want to know what happened to you, but I won't force you to tell me. I really like spending time with you. Please don't push me away now. Not when we have become so close."

Zelda looked at my hand and seemed to be deep in thought. She said, "Fine, just don't screw it up. When we find time alone, I will talk to you about my past. Just please try not to be judgmental towards me. It is not exactly a happy one."

When we all got to the movie theatre, I went up to buy the tickets. Zelda didn't want me to pay for them, but I absolutely refused to let her pay. I walked up to the counter and said, "Hi, I would like 4 tickets to the Young Zombie Samuri Turtl…oh just give me tickets to the turtle movie." That proved to be a bad choice of words; instead of seeing the movie Mokuba wanted to see, we ended up watching an incredibly boring turtle documentary and both Zelda and I fell asleep during it. How do I know that? Mokuba took a picture and put it as the back ground on my phone.

We headed out the theatre with Mokuba and Rini slightly disappointed. I felt bad and asked, "Would you guys like to go out to eat?"

Zelda and I both burst out laughing when they screamed, "Happy Meals!" We were certainly eating 'high class' today; although, it would be a perfect way to speak with Zelda alone while the kids were playing in the jungle gym.

After we ordered our meals, I had the kids eat and then they were allowed to go play.

When they were preoccupied, I asked Zelda, "Would now be a good time to ask about your past?"

She squirmed uncomfortably, but agreed.

She began, "I was only 17 years old when I got married. I went to the doctor previously because I felt like I had the flu; it turns out that I was actually pregnant. I asked my parents for help and they, insisting that I was a whore who deserved it. The truth is I don't even remember having sex with anyone. I remember going out on a date with Ganondorf and trying to leave because I felt ill, but I don't remember anything past that."

I thought to myself, 'He must have spiked her drink or something'

She continued, "I woke up later that day on the bathroom floor of the restaurant we were at sloppily dressed and scared. When I discovered I was pregnant, I confronted him and he promised he would marry me if I didn't press charges. As much as I didn't want to marry him, I was practically homeless at this point and his family was rich. I figured my child would be well cared for even if I suffered. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Shortly after Rini was born, the abuse started. He would go out drinking till 3 in the morning and when he came home he beat the crap out of me. There were some days, that we didn't have any food in the house because of him spending his paycheck on booze. I gave Rini what little we had. When Rini got older, he tried to attack her. I always said something to interfere, so he would attack me instead of her. The last time I saw Ganondorf, he grabbed Rini by her throat and I knocked him out with a frying pan. He was lying unconscious on the floor, but still breathing. We grabbed our suitcases and sped away."

As I listened to her, my heart broke specifically since I yelled at her when she told me she prayed for her husband's death. I understood now, especially after seeing her body covered in bruises. This girl has been to hell and back, and I had the nerve to yell at her that day when I told her about Malon. With lack of better words to say I said, "I'm sorry."

She nodded and replied, "Its fine, I just pray that I never see that man again."

I grabbed her hand and told her, "You won't, I promise. I will protect you and Rini for as long as I live."

To my surprise, she hugged me and started crying. I heard her mumble a "thank you," and she continued to cry. I stroked her hair and instinctively pulled her closer to me. 'Maybe I should ask her out like Impa suggested,' I thought to myself, 'After all, she is beautiful and it sure feels nice to be close to someone again.' But the real question was could I learn to love again?


	7. Your Pregnant!

ZELDA'S POV

After lunch we came back to the inn and Link sat on the porch with Henry. I went into the kitchen to assist Impa with making dinner for the guest. The phone rang in the inn and Impa answered it. She heard what sounded like a girl on the other end crying and asking for Zelda. Impa said, "I am sorry dear, but there are no one named Zelda who lives here." I quickly grabbed the phone and shot Impa and apologetic look. "Hello, who is this?" I asked.

The voice on the other end was a young and familiar one, "Zelda, is that really you?"

"Yes," I replied, "who is this?" Why did this girl sound so familiar? If she wasn't crying so much I might recognize her.

She answered, "Zelda, it's me Aryll." I gasped. Aryll was my little sister. How did she find me?

I shrieked, "Aryll, how are you and our brothers doing? You must be 16 now. Oh I miss you so much. " She was one of the only one of my family members who didn't shun me when I became pregnant. I loved my little sister so much.

She broke down over the phone, "They are fine. Oh Zelda, I screwed up big time. I am pregnant."

I panicked and asked, "You're pregnant? Aryll, didn't you learn anything from what our parents did to me?"

She answered, "I know Zelda, I am sorry. I just don't know what to do. Mom and dad told me if I either abort the baby, or give her up for adoption they won't kick me out like they did you. Zelda, I can't give the child to the state and I certainly can't have an abortion. The father wants nothing to do with me now that he knows. I just don't know what to do. "

"How far along are you?" I asked.

She replied, "I am due in December."

That's only a few weeks away. I closed my eyes and felt tears roll down my eyes. I knew full and well what it was like to be scared of being homeless with an infant. Finally I decided, "Aryll, when she is born bring her to me. I don't want you to quit school and struggle through life like I did."

Aryll began to cry more, but this time I was sure it was tears of joy. "Oh Zelda, I don't know how to thank you."

Link walked in the door, poured himself a cup of coffee, and sat in the couch. Looking at the phone sadly I replied, "Just do me a favor and don't do this again. I am going to give you my address, but whatever you do don't tell anyone where I live." I gave her my address and hung up the phone.

I was in such a state of depression; I wanted to bang my head against the wall. Instead, I turned to Impa and asked, "Impa, do you happen to have a crib?"

Link who hadn't heard the conversation did a spit take. He got up from the couch and asked, "Your pregnant?"

For some odd reason I started to laugh hysterically. I wasn't sure if it was because I was nervous or what. I shook my head no and managed to say, "No, I'm not."

After I calmed down, I asked both Impa and Link to sit down at the table and explained the situation. "Impa, my real name is Zelda. My little sister, Aryll, called me and she is 16 and pregnant. I agreed to take her baby in once it is born because I don't want to see her go through the hardships I did when I got pregnant. I want to see my little sister get an education and do all the things I was unable to."

To my surprise Link gave me a weak smile and said, "We have a cradle stored in the garage. Everything will be alright." He then hugged me and I couldn't help but cry. They weren't going to throw me out. I barely knew these people but, I almost felt like a part of the family.

I then thought to myself, 'This is going to be a disaster. It is almost like I am starting over from scratch. Since I left all Rini's baby stuff in my ex-husband's home, I had no clothes, bottles, formula, and diapers. But on the other hand, I do have friends now and I don't have to worry about being beaten to death in my sleep. Maybe this won't be as hard as when I had Rini.

I finally managed to calm down and Link brought me to the garage. I took one look at the place and thought, 'shit' there was junk in boxes piled up to the ceiling. I turned to Link and asked, "Do you have any idea where it would be?"

He scratched his head, a nervous habit I have noticed. He then said, "I haven't the slightest idea. Do you know if she is having a boy or a girl because I should have some of Mokuba's old clothes packed away if it is a boy?"

I shook my head no and said, "I don't think the baby will care if he or she is in blue clothes for the first year or two anyway." He chuckled and began to climb through the pile of boxes.

I was about to join when Impa called, "Zelda, the mechanic is here with your car."

"Ok, I will be there in a minute!" I yelled back. I ran upstairs and grabbed my purse which contained all my money I had managed to save from working in the B&B and ran to meet the mechanic in the yard.

"Hello Henry!" I yelled as I passed him in the rocking chair on the porch. He waved.

I came upon the mechanic and said, "Hi there Mr…" I looked at his name tag, "Nicholas, how much do I owe you?"

He was less than happy looking. Actually he had a striking resemblance to the Grinch. He replied, "650 rupees."

My heart dropped, "650 rupees for what?" That seemed highly overpriced.

He snapped his gum in my face rudely and said, "200 for the tow and 450 for inspection and refilling the gas tank."

"Was there anything actually wrong with the car?" I asked irritably.

Mr. Nicholas stuttered and answered, "N-n-no, not exactly. It just ran to long without much gas in the tank. It stopped when it finally ran out."

I heard someone walk up behind me and ask, "Is there a problem here?"

I turned around to see Henry, "He is trying to charge me 450 rupees for filling up my gas tank."

Apparently he heard the whole conversation. He said, "You know Nicholas, I used to work for that same shop you work at and I know your boss Jake really well. What do you think he would say if I told him you were trying to swindle a single mother out of her money?"

Mr. Nicholas stuttered and said, "I-I-I am not sure. Please d-don't tell my b-boss!"

Henry smiled and said, "That depends, now how much did you say she owes you?"

Mr. Nicholas replied, "Only 250 rupees sir. That's 200 for the tow and 50 for gas and inspection."

I handed Mr. Nicholas the money and said, "Thank you for your time."

He took the money and ran away as fast as his stubby legs could carry him. I turned to Henry and said, "I didn't know you used to be a mechanic."

He laughed and replied, "That's because I wasn't, although I do know his boss well. You can't bullshit a bullshitter."

I smiled and said, "Thank you Henry. I am going to go inside to help Link now."

When I got back in the garage, I saw Link digging in a box. "Hey did you find anything?" I asked. He smiled and said, "Yes, I found a box of baby toys. They should probably be cleaned though." He passed me the small box and I put it to the side. I then started to climb on the boxes to help him look. I moved a box and quickly something heavy started tumbling down causing an avalanche.

As I fell to the ground, I felt something really heavy hit my stomach. I heard Link scream, "ZELDA!"

He quickly came by me and started to unbury me. When he finally found me I breathily stated, "I got it."

The heavy box that hit me, had the solid wood crib inside. He pulled it off of me and helped me up. I clenched my stomach in pain. "Are you ok?" he asked.

I nodded and said, "I will be fine, I have had much worse." To this I thought I saw anger flash before his eyes but it went by so fast that I couldn't be sure. He then picked me up, much to my embarrassment, and said, "I rather you go lay on the couch for a few minutes, just to be sure. I will find the baby stuff."

By the time he sat me on the couch, I was blushing madly. I heard him chuckle as he headed back to the garage.

I let out a sigh and sat on the couch. Why does everybody treat me like I am a porcelain doll about to break? Oh well, at least I don't have to hide my bruises anymore at home.


	8. Delivery!

Dear readers,

Lately my family and I have been going through some tough times, so please forgive me if I am not updating as often as I normally do (like a maniac some days), or if my writing has been a bit sloppy lately. I want to thank you for your kind reviews in all of my stories and let you know that I will try to update at least once a week. For the person who commented I need to write longer passages, I will try but I only have so much time in a day. I will repost this to my other stories as I update them. Oh and I don't own Tylenol.

Sincerely, The thorned rose

LINK'S POV

A few days later, we finally managed to finish setting up an area in Zelda's room for the baby. It was a bit cramped but Zelda looked like she felt right at home. I had to admit, I was excited at the thought of having a baby around again. We went downstairs to crash on the couch. Carrying all those boxes and organizing their contents in the room took more out of us than we expected.

The doorbell rang and I went to answer it. A woman holding a vase of red roses was standing at the door. She said, "Hey Linky boy, I have a delivery for Zelda Knight." I frowned. So she has a secret admirer… great, and how did they know her real name.

"Ok thank you, I will be sure to give them to her." I replied with a plastered on smile.

I went to close the door but she placed her foot in the way and said, "You know Link, I have had my eye on you since kindergarten. I really wish you would ask me to be your date to Telma's Annual Christmas party."

I rolled my eyes, she has been up my ass to bring her to this damn party every year. I replied to her, "That is a noble wish…bye."

I shut the door and placed the roses on the kitchen table. "Zelda," I called, "Delivery!"

She got up from the couch and saw the roses. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Who are they from?"

I grabbed a cup of coffee and replied, "I don't know, I'm not reading your card. That would be a bit invasive, don't you think?"

She shrugged her shoulders and said, "I wouldn't have cared, anyway let's find out."

She picked up the vase and breathed in the scent of the roses. She then opened the card and her face went white. She dropped the vase and it shattered. She then whispered, "It's from Ganondorf. He wrote that he knows I am here and he will come for me… I have to go; I can't put your family in danger like this."

She was about to go upstairs to pack when I grabbed her wrist and pulled her into my arms. She cried softly into the crook of my neck. I then told her, "I made you a promise the other day that I would protect you and Rini from that man. I intend on keeping that promise. Besides, you're practically a member of the family now. Impa would never let you go." '_And_ _neither will I_,' I thought to myself.

She then said, "I'm scared Link. I don't want to hurt anymore. I feel like I am living in a nightmare."

I replied, "Don't be, I am here for you and I will stand by you forever. You will be protected here, I promise."

Impa then came in the door and said, "Zelda, Link, you have mail," She then saw us holding each other and asked, "Did I interrupt something?"

ZELDA'S POV

I Laughed and said, "No Impa, What did I get in the mail?"

Impa smiled and said, "It's an invitation to Telma's Christmas party. Everyone in town dresses really fancy and dances the night away. You and Rini would love it; are you going to go?"

I looked at my feet feeling slightly embarrassed and blurted out, "I don't think I will go…Oh look at the time, I need to go pick Rini and Mokuba up from the bus stop. I will be right back."

I ran out the door and shut it behind me. Henry was sleeping on the front porch in his rocking chair. He jumped from the sound of the door closing gave me a funny look. He then went back to snoring.

I walked to the bus stop feeling slightly saddened. The truth is, I would love to go to Telma's Christmas Party, but I simply had nothing fancy to wear. The little bit of money I had managed to save, I am using to make sure Rini and Mokuba have a merry Christmas and prepare for my sisters baby. I sat in the grass by the bus stop silently wishing that I would find a way to attend. I could imagine myself twirling around in a pretty gown…sadly that is all I could ever do…imagine. The bus rolled up and the kids got out, I laughed as they ran to hug me. I asked, "Hey guys, how was school?"

Mokuba said, "It was great! Did you get yours yet?"

"Get my what?" I asked.

Mokuba looked at me like I was stupid and replied, "Your invitation of course, to Telma's Christmas party. A few kids at school said their parents got theirs yesterday. I was hoping we got ours."

He looked really sad so I said, "No we received it but, I don't think I will go."

Rini looked up at me with really sad eyes and said, "But momma, you have to go. Santa is going to be there! I need to tell him what I want for Christmas."

Goddess she is cute! I let out a defeated sigh and said, "I will think about it." (Which she unfortunately took as a yes)

She hugged me and said, "Thank you momma." The pair both ran inside, abandoning me at the bus stop. I thought to myself 'Gah, why am I such a push over?!'

I was about to head back when I saw a girl with bluish skin and hair she was approaching me looking really irritated. "Hi there, can I help you?" I called out to her.

Eventually she made it to me and before I could realize what happened, I was punched in the nose. "What the hell was that for?!" I screamed.

She smirked and said, "That is for trying to steal my man. I bet he is the one who bought you those flowers."

I was furious. Who the hell does she think she is? I replied to her, "If you touch me again, he will be buying you flowers for your funeral. I am not taking this crap anymore." I then turned around to take my now bloody nose inside. Henry was running towards me to help, but I told him, "She is not worth it."

LINK'S POV

I heard the kids run inside, playing cowboys and Indians but Zelda never came inside. I shrugged it off and went upstairs to grab some paperwork that I needed to catch up with.

Suddenly, I heard henry yell, "Link, get me the Tylenol from the first aid kit."

"OK!" I hollered back to him as I picked up my paperwork. I grabbed the Tylenol and ran downstairs to the kitchen. Zelda was sitting at the kitchen table with her back to me. I saw Henry hand her an ice pack and I asked, "what happened?"

I walked around to see what was wrong and gasped when I saw a bloody nose and two new black eyes. "Where is that bastard Ganondorf," I screamed.

She shook her head and replied, "It wasn't him."

Henry then spoke up, "It was that crazy chick Ruto that attacked her. I saw the whole thing."

I grabbed my keys and headed to the police car.

"Where are you going?" Zelda yelled.

I got into the car and yelled out, "Arrest her for assault."

I closed the door and drove off. I was so angry; my knuckles were turning white on the steering wheel. Why couldn't this girl leave me alone? Even when I was married, she was pestering me.

ZELDA'S POV

Link drove away and I placed the icepack on my face and held a tissue to my nose. My head was pounding. This was so embarrassing. Could this day get any worse?

Henry then asked, "You know, Link arresting Ruto will do no good."

"Why is that," I asked bitterly.

He replied, "Ruto is the mayor's daughter and she gets out of any trouble she gets into. All her father has to do is flash some money in front of the judge, and all charges are forgotten."

I looked up at Henry unbelievably and asked, "So why is Link wasting his time arresting her?"

Henry laughed and said, "Her father can't get her out instantly usually because he is always running for higher offices and traveling. She will have to stay in jail until her father returns."

"Oh, so prima donna will have a day or two to think about what she did behind bars." I replied

"Exactly," Henry answered.

LINK'S POV

I got out of the car outside the mayors house, I saw a few cars were parked in her drive way. 'Great, there are guest over. Oh well, maybe it will embarrass her so much, she won't want anything to do with Zelda or me.' I thought to myself. I knocked on the door, a few seconds passed and she opened the door. She beamed and said, "Oh hey linky poo, you came to see my interview for the news?" I saw the many video cameras in the back ground. 'Oh god this is perfect,' I thought to myself.

I replied, "No Ruto, you are under arrest." I pushed her against the frame of the door so I could pull her hands behind her back.

"What did I do?" She screamed angrily.

"You have been pressed with assault charges. There was a witness." I replied. She started resisting and I began to read her the Miranda Rights. The camera people were recording the whole thing excitedly. I brought her to the police car and closed her in the back seat. She started to kick at the steel mesh that separated the front seat and the back seat. The media loved it. I turned on my lights, and drove her to the prison. Groose thought I was nuts for arresting her, but helped me drag her in her cell.

The entire time she was screaming, "When my father gets to you, you will be fired. He will not let his baby girl stay here, I promise you that.

I was so irritated, I said, "Let's test that theory," and slammed the cell shut.


	9. Holiday shopping and First aid

Two days later, we were exiting the church after Impa asked everyone to with her to a holiday mass. Link was stairs dressed differently for once. Instead of his normal black police uniform, he wore a nice button down shirt with a green tie over a pair of black slacks. He carried a black suit coat over his shoulder. He looked very handsome. I wore one of my usual long skirts and turtlenecks. I no longer had hardly any bruises (except for the two fresh black eyes Ruto bestowed on me) but I didn't have much other clothing to wear.

Since church had finished, I decided to go do some holiday shopping. I walked through a store feeling completely lost. I wasn't really sure what Rini or Mokuba wanted for Christmas. I knew Mokuba was really into the teenaged mutant ninja turtles, but I wasn't really sure what Rini would like. I mean sure there are the usual things like dolls or stuffed animals, but since it was the first Christmas without her father here to wreck it, I wanted to get her something special. I looked and looked and eventually came across a shiny heart shaped pendant that had an engraving option. I asked the gentleman behind the counter, "Pardon me sir, but how much is this necklace? And, how much would it cost to have Rini engraved on it?"

The man looked at it, it was sterling silver. He flipped it around to see the tag and said, "Including the engraving, that will come to 40 rupees."

I nodded and said, "I will take it."

I then found a few smaller things for the kids, like action figures for Mokuba and dolls for Rini. After shopping for hours, I found a few things for Impa, Henry, and Link and lots of baby formula and diapers. All that was left was to find Rini a dress for the Christmas party. I had about 42 rupees left to spend. I looked and looked but everything was so expensive. After lots of searching I found a gorgeous 3 tier red dress with a black sash around the waist. It was on sale for 28 rupees. I quickly bought it and a small pair of shiny black mary jane shoes for 10 ruppees with a big smile on my face. She was going to look gorgeous for the Christmas party.

Seeing how I only had 2 rupees left, there really wasn't any point trying to find myself a dress, so I decided to head home. I left the clothing and toys in the trunk so I could keep it hidden from the kids until I could wrap it.

I went inside and greeted the family which was gathered around the table playing Monopoly. I smiled and asked, "Who is winning?"

Link smiled and yelled "ME MWAHAHAHA." He then taunted Mokuba, "Come to the Boardwalk, I dare you!"

Impa shook her head and said, "Link, why don't you let the kids win for a change and go chop us some firewood?"

I laughed when Link grumbled, "Fine."

He started to head out the door when Impa yelled, "LINK, YOUR STILL IN YOUR CHURCH CLOTHES!"

He shrugged and said, "They can be washed."

"Oh that boy," I heard Impa mumble as I came to sit by her. While they played, and I sat in for Link, I watched him through the window. I was amazed that he could usually go through the block of wood in one or two swings.

I then heard Impa whisper in my ear, "You know, if you keep watching him, he is eventually going to catch you."

My face flushed bright red and I heard Rini shriek and yell , "I WIN!"

LINK'S POV

I started chopping the wood, it was grueling work. One after another log I sliced through, trying to do it as quickly as possible. I lifted my ax to take another swing, when I heard a shriek. The sound distracted me from my swing and caused me to lose speed and miss the wood completely. Instead, I accidentally swung the axe onto my leg. I let out a painful grunt, and heard Zelda scream, "Call 911."

ZELDA'S POV

After Rini's excited squeal, I saw Link fall to the ground outside. It didn't register what happened until I saw the blood coming out of his leg. I screeched in horror and grabbed a clean towel as I ran out the door. "Call 911," I yelled as I exited the Inn.

I ran to Link's side. He was clutching to his leg painfully. "Link, let go of your leg so I can help you." I commanded. He laid back and let me do what I needed to. I lifted his leg up over his head to slow down the bleeding and used the towel to put pressure on his wound. He cringed in pain as I was holding tightly to his gash. I whispered sadly, "Link, I know this hurts, but it must be done." He nodded and started to play with his tie. Since his skin started looking clammy, I had the feeling he was about to go into shock.

Henry ran outside to meet me, since Impa was on the phone and asked, "What can I do?"

I let go of Link's wound slightly and said, "Hold on to this tightly while I work on preventing him from going into shock. Rini and Mokuba were following behind him and I yelled, "Go get some blankets. Henry took over holding pressure and I started removing Link's shoes, belt, and tie.

I then got to his shirt, and I didn't bother unbuttoning it, I just ripped the buttons clean off. To my surprise, Link had an odd sort of giddiness about him. He actually giggled and said, "Well, that was hot!" My eyes got big and my face turned red as a tomato. Yep, he was going into shock and I would be soon if anything else like this happened.

I regained my composure and asked, "Link do you have your pocket knife?"

He nodded and started looking really pale and clammy. His voice was slurred when he said, "It's in my pocket." I reached in and grabbed something, but it wasn't a pocket knife. Goddess I hope that is a roll of quarters… I quickly let go turning redder by the second when Link grumbled, "the other pocket."

Bowing my head in both embarrassment and shame, I grabbed his pocket knife and went back to tend to his leg. I used the knife to cut away the fabric at his pant leg to get a better view of the wound. It was pretty deep, but it appeared to have missed any major arteries. I continued to apply pressure and Henry spread the blankets Rini and Mokuba brought. All that was left to do was wait for the ambulance to arrive. Since it was a small town, it would take some time to get here.

I silently said a prayer to the goddesses that they would be here soon. As I said 'Amen,' I heard sirens in the distance. I let out a breath of relief. As soon as they got here, they loaded Link into the Ambulance, and I threw Henry my keys so they could follow the ambulance in my car.

On the ambulance, Link finally blacked out and they put him on a breathing machine to take some of the pressure off of his body. I could tell his wound was going to require a lot of stitches. I felt a few tears fall down my face. I wiped them away; I would not show my vulnerability in public…with Link it was different.

When we arrived to the hospital he was rushed into a room in the emergency room and they sent me to a waiting room. Impa, Henry, and the kids soon joined me. I knew that the nurse would not let us see him for hours because of the injury, so I excused myself to go into the hospital chapel.

The chapel was tiny but quiet. I didn't see anyone in it. There were several rows of pews and an alter in the front. There was a confession room in the corner and the room was covered in candles. I walked over to one of the pews; I sat down and started to cry. I pleaded "Heavenly Goddesses, please don't take Link from me." I sobbed, "He is the only friend I have had since High school and I truly care for him. When I saw him hit himself with that axe, I just wanted to die. Link is what gets me through the days today. I want to see his big goofy smile when we make mickey mouse pancakes and the way he scrunches up his nose when he is deep in thought. I even love how when he hugs me, he holds me so gently as if he fears that I am going to break. Goddesses, I don't ask for much, but please don't let him die on me. I feel like I am about to crumple up like a piece of paper, worrying about him. I would like to see him at the Christmas party and possibly dance with him…If I can find a way to acquire a dress at some point. Please give him the strength to pull through this. I don't want to lose my best friend; in the name of the goddesses, Amen."

I then got up and headed back to the waiting room. Little did I know, there was a woman in the confession booth listening to my entire conversation…


	10. Telma

Telma had come to the hospital to visit her mother, who was in a coma. Before she left, she decided to go confess her sins in the hospital chapel. She soon realized that there were no priest available and was about to leave, when she heard a familiar voice saying a prayer to the goddesses. She peeked out the booth to see Hylia sobbing and pleading with the goddesses to help Link. As soon as the church doors had signaled that Hylia exited, Telma came out of the confession booth. She had heard the conversation and begun to think, 'What happened to Link,' she wondered. She then thought about old dresses from when she was younger and thinner that might fit Hylia. She certainly didn't fit them anymore, so why not give it to someone in need.

She exited the Church and went back to her home, where she could go through her old clothing.

ZELDA'S POV

I sat with Impa, Henry, and the kids for hours before we were finally updated. The nurse came up and said, "Good evening, are you all here for Link?" We nodded and she continued, "Link has lost a lot of blood, he will be ok, but he will need to be off that leg for at least 3 weeks for it to heal properly. Currently, he is still knocked out and we believe it will be a few days before he does wake. We will however keep you updated on his progress. He is being brought to another room right now. If you would like to see him, you are more than welcome to. But, only one can spend the night with him in the hospital."

"Would you mind if I stayed with him tonight?" I asked Impa and Henry. They nodded and Henry said, "That would actually be a great help, Impa and I are too old to be sleeping in those uncomfortable hospital chairs." I nodded and the nurse led us to his room. He was sleeping and his leg was covered in bandages. I pulled my chair next to his bed and held his hand. Impa, Henry, and the kids were tired so they stayed a few minutes but left soon after. When I was finally alone, I whispered, "Link, please come back to me."

IMPA'S POV

When we got home, we were all emotionally exhausted. I was so worried about my nephew Link, but I knew he was being well cared for; especially with Zelda watching over him. I silently wondered where she learned so much first aid skills. I was then pulled out of my thoughts by the sound of the phone ringing.

"Hello," I answered.

A voice on the other end of the receiver said, "Hello Impa, this is Telma. Is Hylia home by any chance?"

"No," I replied, "Oh, and her real name is Zelda. Hylia is her middle name. Regardless, can I take a message for her?"

She said, "Yes please, Would you tell her that I have a few dresses from when I was much younger that no longer fit me. She is welcome to come try them on if she is interested."

A knock on the door interrupted my conversation with Telma. "Ok Telma, I will be certain to relay the message. Someone is at the door, so I will call you later." I mumbled before I hung up the phone.

I went to the door and saw a teenaged girl who looked very pregnant and two young men standing outside the door.

"Hello there," I greeted, "Can I help you?"

The young girl smiled and said, "A nice man with a pompadour told us about your bed and breakfast and we would like to book two rooms."

I grinned widely and said, "Oh how nice, how long will yall be staying?"

"At least 4 weeks," she replied.

"Ok, that is great. At 40 rupees a night, that will come to 1120 rupees total for 4 weeks."

She nodded and paid me. I then brought her and the two young men to their rooms. I then told them, "Dinner is at 7:00 sharp. My name is Impa. If you need anything let me know."

They retired to their rooms and I went back to my work.

A FEW DAYS LATER

I went back to the hospital to check up on Link and Zelda while the kids were in school. Henry stayed at home to watch over the Inn. Zelda had fallen asleep holding onto Link's hand. Link was sitting up in bed watching over her. She had dark circles under her eyes and you could clearly see the distress in her face. I whispered, "I am glad to see your awake Link; does she know yet?"

He shook his head and answered, "No, she looked so tired, I didn't want to wake her."

I smiled softly and said, "She should be tired. She has been here for 3 days making sure you are well cared for. You know Link, you really should consider asking Zelda out. It is obvious that she cares about you. Besides, the kids get along great."

He started to comb his hand through her hair and asked, "How have they been doing?"

"They have been sad without you two around, but they have been coping. Now that you're awake, the doctor's will probably let you go as long as you keep weight off of that leg. I have an old pair of crutches that I had Henry dig out of the garage you could use."

He nodded and continued to watch over Zelda. As much as he didn't want to admit it, I knew he was starting to fall for her and I was pretty sure she was doing the same.

The doctor knocked on the door, which woke Zelda from her slumber.

"Hi there," the doctor greeted, "a nurse informed me that you were awake Link. Do you mind if I take a look at your leg?"

"I don't mind," he replied.

The doctor removed the covers and there were several stitches in Link's wound. It was well bruised and tender to the touch. She then said, "Well, as long as you keep off of that leg, I see no reason why you wouldn't be able to go home today. By the way, I wanted to ask you who was it that cared for your injury until the ambulance got there?"

"Zelda took care of him," I replied.

The doctor smiled and shook Zelda's hand, "You are a very talented medic, where did you go to school?"

Zelda shifted uncomfortably and replied, "I…I didn't…I always wanted to go into the medical field, but I never finished high school. Even if I had, I could never afford medical school. I learned about different medical procedures from studying books at the local library and purchasing old medical text books from garage sales."

The doctor looked at her sadly and said, "Oh, that's a shame. You would have made a wonderful doctor. You definitely saved this young boy's life. I will go get his discharge papers now."

When the doctor closed the door, Link turned to Zelda and whispered, "Thank you."

Zelda smiled softly and said, "It was nothing."

I then remembered the message Telma left me and said, "Oh Zelda, Telma has some clothing from when she was younger that no longer fits her. She was wondering if you would like to have them. We could pick them up on the way home."

Zelda smiled and said, "That would be great!"

…

ZELDA'S POV

When Link had signed all of the discharge papers, they wheeled Link to the car and he slid into the back seat where Impa had placed his crutches. I sat next to Impa in the front and we drove to Telma's Diner.

Telma was upfront taking orders so I waited by the bar. When she finished that customers order, she walked up to me and asked, "Hey sugarplum, did Impa tell you about the clothing I have for you?"

I nodded and said, "I am really grateful that you thought of me, I could really use the help."

She winked at me and said, "Not a problem. I wanted to tell you, don't be afraid to ask for help. So far everyone around here who has met you already adores you...well except for that mechanic Nicholas, but he doesn't like anyone. In any case, I will have my husband Ben carry the bag of clothing out. There are a few fancier dresses on hangers that you will need to bring out."

I nodded and followed her upstairs to where they had a living area set up. There was a large garbage bag in the corner of the living room filled to the brim with clothes and a few hangers in a garment bag. I large man with a greying beard came in and picked up the large bag. I grabbed the dresses in the garment cover and asked, "Are you sure you want to give me all this Ms. Telma?"

She smiled and said, "Of course, I can't fit into those clothes any more, besides it gives me some more closet space. Like I said earlier, Don't be afraid to let someone help you."

I whispered a heartfelt, "Thank you." It would be nice to not wear the same few outfits day in and day out.

I walked out and saw ben throw the bag in the trunk and I sat my bag on top of it. I then shut the trunk and we started to head home.

When we finally arrived at the B&B, I literally had to drag the bag up the stairs. Link tried to help, but I was not going to allow him, while he was hobbling around on crutches. When I finally made it up the stairs, I threw the bag in the corner of the room and flopped onto the bed. Impa came up behind me carrying the small garment bag and said, "I hope you don't mind, but I snuck a peek in this bag. If you don't already have a dress for the Christmas party, I highly recommend the red one in here."

As much as I wanted to look, I was far too exhausted from the hospital trip. So I laid back and as soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out.

_**DREAM**_

_**It was the day of Telma's Christmas party, and I was busy getting ready. I was sitting in my room combing my hair, when I heard a large **_**commotion outside. I looked out the door and saw Link fighting off Ganondorf. I ran down the stairs screaming, "Stop. STOP! Please don't hurt him!" Ganondorf suddenly pulled out a gun and shot Link in the chest. I gasped in horror and screamed "LINK!"**

My body shot up, drenched in sweat. That seemed too real. To try to erase the dream from my mind, I started to sort through the clothing. Most fit properly, but there were a few pieces that were simply too big. Most of the clothing were casual t-shirts, sweaters, pants, and skirts. But, there was the bag of clothing on hangers that I had yet to investigate. I unzipped the garment bag and pulled out three lovely ball gowns. The first was a plain black lace dress over a nude lining. It was very pretty but it was a little big. The second dress was a light blue dress. It was strapless and appeared to be either casual or formal depending on what type of accessories you paired it with. The final dress was the one impa was referring to earlier, and I can definitely see why it was her favorite. It was a sparkly red floor length spaghetti strap dress with a slit up the side. To say it was stunning would be an understatement. It had a sweatheart neckline and when I put it on, it looked as if it were made for me. This was definitely going to be the dress I wore to the Christmas party.

I heard the doorbell ring, so I quickly changed back into my normal clothes and ran downstairs to see who was visiting. I saw Telma and two older ladies sitting with Impa and Link at the kitchen table. I went down to join them and Telma said, "Hey Zelda, I was just talking about you. These are my two aunts Betty and Sue, I was telling them about you and they absolutely insisted on meeting you."

I smiled and greeted, "Hello Miss Betty and Sue, it is an honor to meet you both. By the way Telma, the clothing was absolutely beautiful. Thank you!"

Telma replied, "Any time dearie. I need to get back to the shop but you girls can stay and chat with Impa for a while."

The two older ladies nodded and Link asked, "Zelda, would you help me get up to my room?" He then pointed to his crutches.

I beamed and said, "Of course Link!"

As we were going up the stairs he whispered, "I didn't really need your help, I just wanted to get you away from Betty and Sue. Those crazy old hags are the biggest gossips in town."

"LINK!" I scolded for calling them hags.

"Sorry, but I can't help it. I can't stand those two women. They are almost as infuriating as Ruto."

Suddenly, we bumped into someone. I looked up and saw my sister Arryl.

"Arryl," I screamed as I pulled her into a slightly awkward hug due to her very large belly.

"Zelda?" she replied in surprise.

I nodded and started to cry. She was just as beautiful as I remember, Her pink hair (I know it's not really pink in the game but get over it)was a family trait that rini had inherited. It seemed to twirl naturally into tight curls. She wore a black dress and red shoes. Once she realized it was really me she asked, "What are you doing here Zellie? I wasn't expecting to find you at a B&B."

I wiped away tears that were threatening to fall and answered, "I work and live here. Link's family took me in after… things went sour." I never did tell her what happened with Ganondorf... I then realized she had no idea who Link was so I pointed to him and said, "Arryl, this is Link. Link, Arryl." They shook hands and smiled politely.

She then said, "Well Zelda, as much as I love to stay, the boys are waiting for me downstairs to go shopping for baby stuff."

"Benjamin and Orry are here too?!" I asked excitedly. I haven't seen them in over six years.

She nodded and said, "We can all catch up over dinner tonight, but I really must be going."

Impa overheard the conversation and yelled, "Maybe Hylia can help me fry up some cuckoo as a special dinner."

My face paled. Link Chuckled and said, "Don't worry, we have some frozen cuckoo in a freezer in the barn."


End file.
